Uhu Webcam (Germany, Eifel) ~2016

[sova]

March 22

06:34 - Lotte is not there

[Bea]

No Lotte in the morning, but she was here in the night, arrived at 02:33 and left at 02:54
Most of the time she was calling hoarse, at her arrival communicating with Leo somewhere upside (think she would have preferred something edible )

[Bea]

24. March

Leo was here at 01:19 and made a short check of the nestbowl


Lotte could also be heard calling hoarse somewhere ... not sooo far away

[Danielle]

This year we'll not see the young owls in this nest

[Bea]

There is not much to report about the last nights, my recordings showed no activities in cam view.

But yesterday ~22:00 o´clock one could hear both Eagle Owls close, it sounded as if Lotte got prey from Leo.

I am not sure from which point on we have to abandon hope for a successful breeding season in cam view.

[Mamicja]

New information from Stefan Brücher http://webcam.pixtura.de/SWR_UHU/artikel_de.php?id=126
Will we see owlets this year?

[Bea]

Stefan Brücher writes, that they observe very varying beginnings of breedings at their nesting place controls in the Eifel.

They found a very early couple which has already three weeks old owlets, as well as couples who have until now only scratched a nest hollow, but not laid eggs. Similar as we see it here with Lotte, there are obviously couples with breeding intentions, but it is unsure whether eggs will be laid at all.

Compared with the previous years, Lotte and Leo were observed less scratching and displaying. This could be a sign for lower intentions to breed or for a change of the nesting place. On the one hand it could be possible that the Eagle Owls are displaying on another place (not observed by the cam), but in contrary Lotte came to her usual breeding place here on Monady, 21.03., and behaved and prepared the nest bowl as if she had come to lay an egg on the next day.
On last Friday, around 14 o´clock, she sat in the middle of the rock and was calling. This a bit excited mood in daylight speaks for still continuing display and breeding intentions.
Are Leo´s gifts for her numerous enough, to give Lotte the crucial push?

We can only wait eagerly ...

---

As always, translation as good as I can

[Mamicja]

As always, translation as good as I can

Thank you Bea, you are perfect
I have reviewed Stefan's diary from 2013. That season looked just like the present. In those season Lotte hasn't laid eggs.

[Bea]

31. March

A two-minute-visit from Lotte this morning at 05:29



Mamicja, yes - it looks very much as if Lotte would skip this season (at least here in cam view). Somehow I won´t blieve that she would breed on another place, as this place here is a first-class-nesting-place

[romy]

I had meant last month repeatedly to hear a third owl. And always, when Leo came, Lotte was particularly loud. I had the impression, Leo is interested in another female. Tonight there were three owls here, whom Leo has made a gift? Would Lotte permitted to sell? Let's see what happens here.

[Bea]

2. April

Exciting traffic in the night

02:24
I think it was Lotte who was here, for some moments I thought it was not her, despite the hoarse calls - but with these wet feathers ...


I started the video a bit earlier than the landing, so that a bit of owl communication can be heard, too

[Bea]

At 02:57 a very silent and unknown visitor appeared on the ledge



Zoom on the legs, no rings

[Bea]

But the visitor stayed not undiscovered for long and then Leo was here (with prey for Lotte in his beak!) and chased the stranger away








At 03:10 o´clock one can hear Leo and Lotte calling, the stranger is listening - and you can clearly see the moment when the stranger recognizes Leo coming closer - it fluffes up and looks already scared

[Danielle]

Camera showing new view. Are we expecting visitor?

[Danielle]

Ha! Bravo, admin:

[Bea]

7. April

The cam operator on his best .... he discovered Lotte in her new nestbowl, and she is incubating at least two eggs

First video shows zooming on the new nestbowl, she is still on the ledge, but one level deeper, behind some ivy
I started the video a bit earlier, so that one can see where she is, compared to the edge of the ledge


A bit later she did us the favour and moved, one can see her (at least) two eggs





Isn´t this good news? She has eggs We will not have the first-class-view as usual, but she is still on the ledge and incubating

[Riitta]

I can't believe it...

GREAT!

Lotte is to be seen in her new nestbowl. There are two eggs.
Wonderful surprise!

Thanks Bea for your up-to-date-report, pics and clips.

[Mamicja]

Thank you cam operator, Danielle and Bea
So the supposition I mentioned on March 18 were confirmed

[Riitta]

Forgotten!
@ cam-operator: thanks a lot for discovering Lotte in her new nestbowl!

[Bea]

There is a new statement from Stefan Brücher
http://webcam.pixtura.de/SWR_UHU/artikel_de.php?id=127


Lotte brütet, aber...

Liebe Uhufreundinnen und –freunde, nachdem es nun einige Tage und Nächte lang keine Uhus vor der Kamera zu sehen gab, sie jedoch zu hören waren, wollte ich heute nochmals versuchen, die Verhältnisse zu klären.
Einige möglicherweise alternative Brutplätze in der Felswand sind mir bekannt, und so sah ich, fast auf Anhieb, einen Uhu in "verdächtiger Körperhaltung" an einer schwer einsehbaren, geschützten Stelle. Nach mehrmaligem Wechseln der Beobachtungsperspektive konnte ich den Verdacht bestätigen: Lotte brütet abseits der Kamera!

Glücklicherweise ertappte ich sie beim Drehen der Eier und bei der Gefiederpflege und hatte dadurch das außergewöhnliche Glück, mindestens zwei Eier sehen zu können. Die neue Brutnische liegt ca. 15 Meter unterhalb der traditionellen und ist mir bei den diversen Aufstiegen schon ins Auge gefallen. Auch dort ist es trocken, und auch eine "Terrasse" fehlt nicht. Lediglich die Ausrichtung zur Sonne ist gegensätzlich: morgens Gegenlicht, abends Sonne im Nest.

Ob und wann wir Bilder auch aus dieser Brutnische werden übertragen können, ist zunächst noch ungewiss. Wir werden alle Möglichkeiten gewissenhaft prüfen und vielleicht in sechs bis sieben Wochen mit einer Übertragung starten können. Dann wäre zumindest noch einen Teil der Jungenaufzucht zu sehen.

Bis dahin werde ich versuchen, Sie auf dem Laufenden zu halten, obwohl es bei steigender Vegetationsentwicklung immer schwieriger sein wird, aus 200 Meter Entfernung Einblick in die versteckte Nische zu bekommen.

Aktuell ist es uns gelungen, von oben zumindest einen Teil des neuen Brutplatzes einzusehen. Wir können Lotte tagsüber etwas beim Brüten beobachten. Nachts fehlt leider an der Stelle das Infrarotlicht. Auch bleibt abzuwarten, wie sich die Vegetation entwickelt und uns vielleicht die Sicht nimmt.


Mit einem lachenden und einem weinenden Auge

Ihr Stefan Brücher
Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung der Eulen e. V


-----

Translation, as good as I can


Lotte is breeding, but ....

Dear Eagle Owl friends, after some days of no sightings of Eagle Owls in cam view, despite we could hear them, I wanted to try to clarify what is going on.

I knew about some possibly alternative breeding spots in the rock face, and so I found nearly immediately an Eagle Owl in some "suspicious posture" on a difficult to see and sheltered spot. After changing perspectives several times I could confirm the suspicion: Lotte is breeding offside the cam!

Fortunately I got her while rolling her eggs and preening and was extremely lucky to get view on at least two eggs.
The new nestbowl ist about 15 m lower than the usual place and this spot caught already my eye during several times climbing the rock.
It is also dry there and there is also a "terrace". Only sun is coming different to the place now - opposite light in the morning and nest in the sun in the evening.

When it will be possible to transmit stream or whether this will be possible at all is unsure. We will check all possibilities thoroughly and perhaps start with a transmission in six or seven weeks.
We could observe at least a part of rearing the offspring then.

Until then I will try to keep you updated, despite it will become more and more difficult to zoom the 200 m to the place, especially because all the greenery will grow more and more.

Actually we managed to get at least a view on a part of the breeding spot from above. So we can observe Lotte during incubation at day time.
Infrared light further upside will not make us able to observe her during night time.
And we have to wait how greenery will grow and perhaps obstract the view.

With mixed feelings

Ihr Stefan Brücher
Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung der Eulen e. V